Educational+Rationale

=Blogs, Wikis and Discussion Boards: Technology Tool for Writing Instruction and Literature Discussion=

As in most pioneering efforts, it is necessary to explain why there is such a dire need for an innovative tool to enhance the current means of writing instruction and literature discussion. It is our belief that writing and discussion are a craft, exercises of the mind, memory, and consciousness to communicate thoughts and ideas into effective words that justify convictions and beliefs. Writing and discussion are two of our primary means to communicate with the world. Writing and discussion skills do not just develop independently; they requires consistent and differentiated practice. Writing and discussion also do not take one form, and students need as much experience with as many types as possible. In addition, as students live and grow in an ever expanding digital world, it is necessary for them to have understanding and command of the language required to communicate within that changing world.

Writing and discussion are also in some senses, a sport. Writing and discussion are mental exercises. Just as we prepare and practice physical exercise, we must prepare and practice writing and discussion. Some following this analogy may argue the age-old line of reasoning that we play how we practice. Opponents fear that informal practice will be counterproductive or undermine formal assessment due to its smaller amount of focus on traditional priorities. The simple matter is that our students are so deterred from practice, that they lack the crucial knowledge of the game necessary to play. Further extension of this analogy yields a primary problem our students experience in writing. Due to the fact that our students do not practice enough, or do not practice at all in some cases, our students are entering the game unprepared. Under these circumstances, many of our students pull a mental muscle and are unsuccessful. Letting this analogy run its course, we see too many of our students on the injured/disabled list. It is not that our students are unable to play the writing/discussion game; on the contrary, many of our students simply lack practice and confidence (perhaps caused by previous disappointments in writing/discussion game performance). A technology infused approach could be the answer to this downward spiral. It is not our intention to claim that blogs, wikis, and discussion boards can completely engage every student or make every student love to write. Rather, the inclusion of these technologies provides an opportunity to redefine writing practice for some students. Including blogs, wikis, and discussion boards in writing instruction and literature discussion can provide the differentiated practice that some students need to develop into a skilled linguistic athlete.

This project is also aligned with the [|Appoquinimink District Strategic Plan] "infus[ing] 21st century skills in appropriate areas of [our] curriculum."